Tag Archive: Bill Russell

Photo by Fernando Medina/Orlando Magic “With Pat Williams at the helm, did you really think the Orlando Magic were going to lose the ping pong battle? Williams is like a talisman next to a rabbit’s foot in the pocket of a voodoo priest simultaneously sticking pins in makeshift dolls of the other 13 teams.” That’s …

Anton Want/Getty Images Shaq! Ahhh. He’s the greatest in the universe. Okay, maybe the last sentence isn’t true but there’s no question that Shaquille O’Neal, now retired, goes down as one of the best players to ever play the game of basketball. And at his zenith, it’s hard to argue that O’Neal wasn’t as good …

Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images If there is one thing we know about Stan Van Gundy, it’s that he’s a pretty quiet guy, reticent to speak his mind to the media, and wholly above speaking publicly in any way that might ruffle fans’ or players’ feathers. That’s why we can be certain that …

Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “The Orlando Magic may have saved their season Tuesday night. And to do it, they relied on a tried-and-true formula: an improved defense, a critical hustle play by Jameer Nelson and a 48-minute dose of Dwight Howard. Riding another Herculean performance by their all-star center, the Magic outlasted the Atlanta Hawks …

Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: “Dwight Howard is a better defensive center than Bill Russell. That’s right, BILL RUSSELL. And this isn’t me talking because, quite frankly, Bill Russell was before my time although I do remember when I was kid listening to my stepdad and his buddies talking about how Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was …

Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “Dwight Howard has been the team’s most valuable player. He’s also staked a claim to league MVP honors. The 25-year-old center brought a more serious demeanor to practice this season and — as much as he dislikes talking about it — a more diversified, more patient offensive repertoire. He’s averaging …

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: “The [Orlando] Magic haven’t taken part in a competitive game since camp began, all their games lopsided one way or the other, speaking of the Miami Heat. […] Strangely, [Otis] Smith said he could see it coming, given the Magic were on a back-to-back, had rolled through the preseason and …

Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images There is no rivalry between the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat. There is no rich history between the two franchises. Celtics vs. Lakers it is not. History? Boston and L.A. have decades of it. Geography? They are the East vs. West. Bad blood? Five words: Kevin McHale clotheslines Kurt …

Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images Via Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: Shaquille O’Neal’s career should have had the perfect fairytale ending. He should be finishing his NBA career where he started it all those years ago — right here in Orlando, trying to help the Magic win that elusive championship. He could have gone …

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: “Garnett, who turns 34 next week, is back at full strength and in full throat. He led a 50-win Celtics team to a surprising 4-2 elimination of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who finished the season with the best record in the league. Now it’s the [Orlando] Magic who have inherited …